I just wanted to send out a more public "Thanks!" to Chris Done for
the tryhaskell.org website and to everyone else
(including Chris) who was on the #haskell channel of IRC this
afternoon when I "tried haskell", along with the chat feature,
during my introductory functional programming class.
And I want to recommend the use of tryhaskell and its tutorial to
anyone else teaching Haskell in the classroom:
it makes for an an especially friendly and approachable introduction
to the language for students like mine,
some of whom are seeing programming for the first time. I'll be using
Hugs and GHC(i) for the day-to-day work
through the semester, but I imagine my students will be showing their
friends tryhaskell and poking around in it
at odd moments from the local cafe.
I had just begun my second lecture with a little introduction to the
Haskell community and how friendly it was, etc.,
when I realized the opportunity that the chat feature represented.
Sure enough, #haskellers came through for me
with some fun & friendly interaction as the class and I bounced back
and forth between the tutorial and their comments.
It was very gratifying to have my abstract proposition about the
character of the community backed up by a concrete
existential witness, live in the classroom :) .
Thanks again to Chris, Gwern Branwen, _why (of TryRuby) and everyone
else for their efforts and interactions.
-- Fritz Ruehr